


Someone Else's Fruit

by tamalinn



Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M, Futurefic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-06-25
Updated: 2004-06-25
Packaged: 2017-11-01 09:33:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/355034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tamalinn/pseuds/tamalinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"A monkey eating someone else's fruit."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Someone Else's Fruit

**Author's Note:**

> First, big thanks to Chase for the beta, to Madelyn for the title and audiencing. Written for iykwim, who requested a ficlet based one of my LJ icons from autumnyte. Feedback makes me dance naked on a table, and buy drinks for the whole bar.
> 
> Disclaimer: Clark and Lex are so not mine. It's a pity, really.

It was night, and Clark was hovering outside LexCorp Towers, watching through the walls. 

Lex was asleep with a woman, her head pillowed on his bare chest, her dark hair hopelessly tangled and draping over the lower half of her face, and onto her arm stretched across Lex's waist. Lex lay with his head turned away from her. If he opened his eyes, he'd be looking straight at Clark. If Lex could see through walls. Sometimes Clark liked to imagine he could. That if Lex opened his eyes, he'd see Clark staring an apology through the layers of steel and stone. But Lex wasn't going to open his eyes until six in the morning, and when he did, he'd have already rolled away from the window and on top of the woman. Sunk between her spreading legs and kissed her with familiarity. And Clark knew this, because he'd stayed and watched 'til Lex awoke. 

* * *

Sometimes Clark would float outside Lex's daughter's room. He'd hover absently until he heard her cry out. Then Clark would focus through the closed blinds and watch for Lex to come to her. It was always Lex. The nanny cared for Lena only during the day. 

Lex would pick his daughter up and cradle her. He'd whisper and smile and rock her and sing. And Clark would smile too, because Lex singing lullabies was funny and sweet, and then Clark would remember that Lex didn't know Clark was outside watching him, hoping to be seen and forgiven. And his smile would twist into something sad, and Clark would fly away. 

* * *

And then there were the nights that Clark couldn't bring himself to go near LexCorp Tower. Instead, he would sit cross-legged atop _The Daily Planet_ globe with his chin resting on his hand, and gaze into nothing. 

Until one night when he felt eyes heavy on the back of his head. Sitting up straighter, Clark looked over his shoulder in time to see Lex walking into his penthouse, pulling the terrace door shut behind him. 

Clark stood shakily, and moments later, landed on the terrace with a dull thud. Without thinking, he reached out and opened the door, and stepped into the living room. Clark walked around, taking in all the changes since he'd been there last. Across from the terrace door was a painting Clark had never seen before of a monkey eating someone else's fruit. He ran his fingers along the back of the tan, leather sofa. On the sideboard was a photo of Lena, grinning a chocolate covered smile. Clark almost had it in hand, but stopped short at the sound of a door snicking shut. He looked up to see Lex with a glass of scotch in one hand. Lex's other hand rested on the doorknob behind him. 

Clark yanked his hand from the photo and fidgeted embarrassedly. "Lex, I. I'm sorry for intruding." He looked around wildly. "The door was unlocked, and I've missed you. And-" 

"Clark," Lex said, holding out his empty hand, "You're not intruding. The door has always been open for you. You've just never tried it before." 


End file.
